Stabilizer for boats.



G. PERRAULT.

STABILIZER vFOR BOATS.

APPLIcATloN min 1AN.3, 191s.

1,184,207. Imamma May 23,1916.

UNiTED sra'rns Barren GEORGE PERRAULT, 0F STOCIKTON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR-OF FORTY ONE-HUN- DBEDTHS TO EDGAR C. BODIMER, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

STABILIZER FOR BOATS.

This invention relates to safety appliances for boats of all kinds and especially* for life saving boats used on vessels or at life saving stations, the object of the invention being to produce a stabilizer for the boats by the use of which'the boat can be prevented from capsizing when loaded with passengers thus preventing a great many accidents, which occur due to the rush or confusion of launching boats when an accident occurs upon the vessel;

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the'purposes for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts lin the several views.

Figure-1 is a top plan view of a boat showing my improved attachment thereon. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3is a sectional view of the adjusting means ofthe stabilizer taken on a line X-X of Fig.y 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line Y-Y of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the Y characters of reference on the drawings the numeral 1 designates the boat.

My improved stabilizer consists of a flat yplate or blade 2 arranged to be suspended below the centralpart ofthe boat parallel therewith and being connected to the boat by means of supporting rods 3 and 4c suitably fastened to the plate 2 and being bifurcated, as at 5 and 6 respectively, the arms ofsuch bifurcationsbeing projected along-- side of the boat and provided with ratchet racks 7 for a purpose as will presently ap- Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application led January 3, 1916. Serial No. 69,740.

pear. The plate or blade 2 is to be of a weight in proportion to the size of the boat. These racks 7 project through guides suitably secured to the sides of the boats and consisting of main guides 8 having hinged covers 9 adapted to be held in position by bolts 10. By opening the covers 9 the members 7 may be-readily removed from the sides of the boat whenV desired or may likewise be readily replaced. The main advantage of this structure is to allow of transporting the boat from one place to another without the stabilizing means being inthe way.

On the rails of the boat 1, adjacent each of the racks 7, I provide a bracket 11 turnable in each pair of which brackets is a shaft 12, each shaft having a pinion wheel 13 engaging one of the racks 7. Keyed centrally to each of the shafts 12 isa beveled gear 14: intermeshing with which are beveled gears 15 suitably journaled on the sides of the boat l. The beveled gears 15 are connected together by a shaft 16 removably yoked to each of the pinions 13, as at 17, whereby the Y this, through the medium of the beveledV gears-14 and 15 will operate the shafts 12 to cause the pinions 13 to operate kthe racks 7 up or down to raiseor lower the position of the stabilizer 2 for giving it the most eiiicient action or for drawing it out of position when the boat approaches shallow water. Any fixed position of the stabilizer may be maintained by means of a ratchet wheel 19 secured on one of the shafts 12 and engageable by a dog 20 fixed to one of the brackets 11. Suitable guard rails 21 are disposed on the outside of the boat 1 around the mechanism to preventV it from being brought into contact with any objects which might damage same.

device assubstantially fulfils the object'of the invention as set forthherein.

While this specification setsforth inV de tail-the present and preferred yconstruction of the device, Vstill in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to asV do not form a departure from the `spirit ofVV the inventionras Vdefined by the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention what f I claim as new and useful Yand desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y'.

l. The combination With a boat,of a stabilizer suspended below the boat, the suspendv ing means comprising supports secured to the stabilizer, each supportV being bifur-v lizer suspended below the boat, the suspending means comprising Vsupportssecured toy the stabilizer', each support'y being' 'bifurshafts on the boat, and means Von said shafts engageable with said arms to raise and lower same, as described. Y -V 4 3. The combination With a boat, Acfa stabilizer below the boat, supports for the stabilizer having bifurcated arms, each arm having a-pinion rack, pinionsjournaled on the boatand engageable'with the racks, shafts on the pinions, beveled gears on the shafts, beveled gears journaled'on the boat'engageable WithV the first namedbeveled gearsa removable shaft connecting the last named beveled gears,l andan operating Wheel on one of said beveled gearsasl described. ,Y

In testimony WhereofI 'affix my signature.

. GEORGE PERRAULT.

Copies of this-patent may bc obtained for `fvie cents each, Vby addressing thcffcommieisioner'noi Patenti Washingtqmne. e f 

